Which of the following best explains why the labor of enslaved Africans was established in the European colonies?

The establishment of enslaved African labor in European colonies is most accurately explained by the significant decline in the Native American population due to disease and overwork. Following the arrival of Europeans in the Americas, many Native communities faced devastating outbreaks of diseases such as smallpox, which they had no immunity against. This led to a drastic decrease in their population. Additionally, harsh labor conditions imposed by European colonizers often overwhelmed Indigenous peoples, further diminishing their numbers.

As a result, European settlers sought alternative labor sources to sustain their agricultural and economic activities. The transatlantic slave trade provided a ready supply of enslaved Africans who were forcibly taken from their homelands, creating a new labor force that was seen as necessary to fill the void left by the diminished Native American population. This context highlights how demographic shifts directly influenced labor practices in the colonies.

The other choices do not capture the primary reason for the establishment of enslaved African labor as effectively. Native Americans did not generally refuse to work without compensation in a systematic manner, nor was there a choice offered to them in terms of labor; their populations were largely decimated. While the slave trade was indeed profitable, this was an effect rather than a core reason for why enslaved labor was implemented. Thus